Arts for Learning WNY'S mission is to inspire, expand learning, and strengthen our community through engagement with the arts. We offer assembly, workshop, and long-term residency programs with professional artists, committed to their craft, and using it as a tool for creative learning. Art forms include music, multi-media arts, theater, dance, and visual and literary arts. Services are provided in the eight counties of Western New York, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming.m

The Arts Engagement and Education Department serves as a vital bridge between artistic expression and community involvement. Rooted in the belief that art is transformative and essential for personal and societal growth, the department is dedicated to fostering creativity, nurturing talent, and promoting cultural understanding through various educational and engagement initiatives. Our mission is to enrich lives and strengthen communities through the power of the arts. By providing accessible and inclusive arts education, innovative programs, and meaningful community engagements, we aim to inspire creativity, cultivate diverse talents, and foster a deep appreciation for the arts. We offer many programs such as Junior Theatre Celebration, On School Time performances, a high school musical theatre awards program, residencies, 4 theatre camps, and more.

Built on the historic footprint of the terminus of the Erie Canal, Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum sits at the crossroads between canals and bridges that have become year-round community destinations on the city’s waterfront at Canalside. This totally unique location makes it the perfect place to learn about the region’s roots as an innovative port at the turn of the century, while using hands-on play to spark the imagination of the next generation of great minds. Now serving children birth-12 years of age, we have expanded our footprint as we also expand our reach. Our seven educational play zones offer hands-on exhibits that tell the unique story of Buffalo and what makes us proud to be from Western New York. The zones reveal stories of our region’s history, geography, culture, agriculture, architecture, athletics, commerce and innovation through exhibits that celebrate the power and benefits of play. Explore & More is the perfect place to learn about the region’s past roots with child-led and family friendly play that helps develop the whole child. These exhibits are located on the second, third and fourth floors. Explore & More Children’s Museum is very excited to welcome everyone to our new home at Canalside. To help make your visit as enjoyable and engaging as possible, we have developed customized visual, social, communicative, sensory, and behavioral supports. You will find these supports throughout the museum – from our sensory backpacks and call-ahead accommodations, to our sensory-friendly rooms. We would love to have you visit!

Author Ben Mikaelsen He does Zoom/Skype/Google Meet sessions 30-45 mins for $250.00. He does an introduction of himself and then talks about the book the students are reading and then opens it up for Q & A.

Planting Seeds of Joy: Cultivating Environmental Stewardship and Personal Growth Program Description: Cody Wasial, Americas Joy Catalyst, brings Wee Plant Joy's mission to schools through an engaging program that inspires environmental stewardship and personal growth. Small Group Version (15-30 students): Eco-Mindfulness: Guided sound and movement exercises to connect with nature. Seed Planting: Hands-on activity representing personal growth and conservation. Conservation Storytelling: Sharing inspiring Wee Plant Joy project stories. Vision Board Creation: Students design boards reflecting environmental goals. Eco-Action Planning: Brainstorming sessions for local and global environmental initiatives. Assembly Option (Larger groups): Interactive Presentation: Engaging talk on environmental stewardship and personal growth. Group Eco-Mindfulness: Brief guided exercise for the whole assembly. Conservation Storytelling: Sharing impactful Wee Plant Joy stories. Collective Vision: Creating a school-wide environmental vision board. Call to Action: Inspiring students to participate in eco-friendly initiatives and create a campaign alongside Wee Plant JOY efforts . Educational Impact This interactive presentation aims to inspire students to actively engage in conservation efforts while promoting personal growth and enhancing environmental awareness. By combining storytelling, creativity, and actionable planning, students will leave feeling empowered and motivated to make a positive impact on the world around them. This overview captures the essence of your interactive presentation while ensuring clarity and engagement for students. Both versions aim to inspire active participation . The program can be tailored to specific classroom needs and age groups. For older students (9-12), Wee Plant Joy will offer eco-tours, providing hands-on experience with ongoing conservation projects. NOTE: We are building are new Wee Plant Joy Website as we speak which will also have an interactive component that kids can watch and participate in and with as well engage in social media campaigns and follow the journey of Wee Plant Joy and know they are making a difference.

As a nonprofit educational institution the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to helping every fan learn more about the game, its rich history and its impact on our culture. Museum programs that provide K-12 students and teachers interactive and meaningful learning experiences that align with national learning standards in Cooperstown, online and in their communities; and a robust lineup of virtual programs for diverse audiences. The Museum currently offers 15 baseball-themed curriculum components that provide interactive and meaningful learning engagement. The curriculum features all of the major subject areas, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Social Studies, Character Education, the Arts and Humanities. The lesson plans can be delivered by our museum teachers in Cooperstown or virtually into the classroom. They may also be downloaded and utilized in the classroom at no cost.

This Visiting Author Presentation focuses on disability acceptance & inclusion while connecting to the presenter's various children's books. By attending this program, students learn about different disabilities and the process of writing realistic fiction while becoming inspired to make a positive difference in their schools and communities. Great presentation for Autism Awareness Month (April) and Disability Awareness Month (October). Contact Author directly through her website for free Reading Guide. Amy also offers parent workshops related to raising a child with disabilities and understanding the unique needs of siblings.

Sweet Sprig: Hands-On Natural Skincare Workshops for Teens With 25 years of artisan skincare experience Give your students the chance to connect science, creativity, and self-care with Sweet Sprig’s natural skincare workshops. Led by a seasoned maker with 25 years in the skincare industry, these engaging, hands-on classes teach teens how to craft their own facial care products, body scrubs, and candles—using safe, eco-friendly ingredients. Each workshop blends elements of chemistry, sustainability, and wellness in a way that resonates with today’s students. Teens will learn: How to make customized skincare using natural ingredients The science behind emulsions, essential oils, and preservation Responsible sourcing and sustainable packaging practices The importance of self-care and self-expression Workshops are ideal for health, science, family & consumer science, or art classes, and can be tailored to your curriculum or event. All materials are provided. Students leave with finished products, newfound confidence, and real-world skills they can use at home.

Rumbón Dance Studio, LLC is a dance studio that teaches Colombian-style salsa dance for beginner- and intermediate-level dancers. We also offer cardio classes and performance choreography in various dance styles. Partner and solo salsa dance develop personal skills such as patience, respect, self-awareness and emotional expression, physical skills such as balance and stamina, and musical skills such as rhythm and phrasing. Workshops and classes are perfect for work with students in school musicals, ice-breaker, team-building or social-emotional learning activities, after-school programming, as well as staff development and events.

Musical assembly and Artist in residence programs. Songwriting can cover any topic you choose, character, SEL, school song, etc. Assembly topics include character, antibully, mindfulness, multicultural, health, respect tour, reading celebration and fun family nights. Very interactive and fun!

Day in Clay is a diverse, multicultural ceramic art program for K–12, including professional development and disabilities. The programs are conducted virtually and in school. Overview Headquartered in Tomkins Cove, NY, Day in Clay was founded by Cliff Mendelson in 1988. Day in Clay provides a multicultural ceramic artist in residence programs for K–12 in over 400 schools and districts. It offers both virtual and on-site assemblies and classroom interactive programs with diverse culturally inspired hands-on/demonstrations in clay. Students get a real taste of the creative process and how design, form, and function relate across disciplines and cultures. Students create and explore African, Asian, Latin/ Native American, and Greek cultures through programs like vessel making, tile making, mask making and multicultural potter's wheel, all custom-tailored for their curriculum. Students work directly with clay, learning advanced techniques and understanding how each culture tells their unique story through 3D art, and discover the relationship between art and society. In the class, students become involved in working with clay while learning advanced techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. They explore the relationship between art, science, and society. Students also use historical techniques to create, decorate, and design vessels using culturally specific patterns, symbols, and imagery. Day in Clay invites an artist to demonstrate various aspects of different programs, how they connect to the history of ceramics, and show the interrelation of ceramics in cultures worldwide. Staff development provides arts faculty with the techniques, cultural history, and hands-on problem-solving, ready-to-go lesson plans to bring clay into the classroom. Staff learn to use cultural connections as a way to connect students to their own work. The training mirrors Mendelson's college-level teaching, where engagement and sharing expertise are paramount. Lessons are tied into Native American, Asian, African, Latin American, and Greek cultures. Mendelson provides advanced hand-building techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. Staff development is custom-tailored to meet the needs of a school’s faculty. The best way to problem-solve with students is a hands-on approach and learning the limits of the materials to advance their success. A lively Q&A is always encouraged!

Inspiring author visits, storytelling "concerts" and writing workshops for all grade levels. Awesome Educational Fun! Mark Binder is the author of more than two-dozen books and audiobook, including "The Bed Time Story Book," "Cinderella Spinderella," "It Ate My Sister" and many more. He is an Audie Audiobook Award Nominee, and a Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner. A graduate of Columbia University, he holds an MA in Theater and English. As a storyteller, he has more than 25 years experience in schools around the world. He has taught writing to students in colleges, high schools, middle and elementary schools.